“I know I’d probably say the same thing”—Romeo scratched the side of his head—“if I could actually see whatever it is.”
“Maybe it is left over from that spell. Whatever it is, I can handle it. Come on.” She nodded toward the front of the vehicle and moved forward again. The yellow light was so bright, she couldn’t not see it, even when it stretched behind her and pointed in the same direction, no matter where she stood. Ignore it, Lily, and it’ll go away.
She stopped in the middle of the living area and turned, looking for the Varelos. “Where did you—”
“On the couch.” He pointed as he came up toward the front of the Winnie. “I couldn’t tell which one was which after you— Lily, are you sure you’re okay?”
Her eyes narrowed against the yellow glare in the corner of her vision, she turned toward the couch—which made the yellow light far brighter and almost directly in front of her now—and picked up both copper rods. “As sure as I can be right now. I can still walk and talk.” She hefted the artifacts and found them exactly the same in her hands. “I can see. mostly. And I feel fine except for this.” She aimed one of the rods at the yellow stream of light only she could see and immediately realized which object was in that hand. A buzz of energy flared up her arm and into her neck. “This is the one we want.” He took it wordlessly when she held it out to him and put it back in the cabinet over the sink. “This is the one the Royal thinks he wants.” She nodded at the replica and took it with her to the passenger seat. “I’m ready when you are.”
Romeo rubbed his mouth a few times and finally joined her in the front. “Okay, I’m not gonna ask again if you’re okay.”
“I appreciate that.” She buckled her seatbelt.
“But if you’re not—if something happens—promise me you’ll let me know.”
Those words made her stop, and she turned to look at him in the driver’s seat. His green eyes flecked with gold sparkled at her in the sunlight that streamed in through her window. It wasn’t nearly as bright as the somewhat irritating streak she could still barely see from the corner of her eye. “I promise. If anything gets worse, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Well, I would be anyway.” He smirked.
“Fair enough. I promise I’ll tell you right away.” Lily nodded and stretched her hand out over the huge, plastic center console.
He laced his fingers through hers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Deal.” He lifted her hand to his lips to place a quick kiss on the back of it, then let her go and started the engine. “Do you think you can navigate me back to your little blue handprint landmark, or do I need to sniff you out on the cliffs?”
She thumped her head back against the headrest and smiled. “I remember where we need to go. I’ll tell you when we’re there.”
“Awesome.”
With the road so empty of other cars, he had no problem pulling the Winnie across the northbound lane and onto the right side of the highway. They began the second leg of their short journey from Petas and Morpheus’ temple.
Lily blinked against the sun coming in through her window. It shouldn’t be that bright right now if it’s only six. She opened her purse on the center console—which she hadn’t used at all in the last few days—and found out her sunglasses. With those on, she turned and looked out over the Mediterranean on their right and the sun still a few hours away from anything remotely close to sunset. What?
Her hands clenched tighter on the armrests when she saw that same streak of yellow light that had blinded her since she came to. Now, it stretched from her body, through the side of the Winnie, and almost directly southwest across the glittering ocean. It didn’t dive into the water or arc upward or divert in any way from that single direction, but it did disappear into the horizon when she couldn’t see any farther. Whatever that is, I’ll have to let it go for now. It’s not like the sunglasses even help. When she turned to look at Romeo focused intently on the road, she almost said something. No. It’s not bad. Nothing’s wrong. It’s only residual magic from powerful spellcasting. If it doesn’t go away by the time we’re in Libya, I’ll tell him.
Sixteen
The bright beam from Lily toward the southwest over the sea definitely hadn’t gone by the time she recognized the cliffs and told Romeo to pull over twenty minutes later. She kept her sunglasses on, which wasn’t all that strange with the sun in the western sky glinting fiercely off the waves of the Mediterranean.
“You’re totally sure this is it?” He shoved the Winnie into park and turned the engine off. “These cliffs look exactly like all the others we’ve driven past all day.”
She smirked and stood, passed between the seats, and gestured for him to come with her. “I’m sure.” He followed her out of the vehicle now safely parked on the dirt beside the highway, and she led him toward the place where she’d left the beacon spell for herself.
He stood beside her and scanned the ground. “I don’t see it.”
“Hold your horses, huh?” She clapped and cast her illusion-revealing spell. The pink film of magic spread between her hands, and the blue handprint she’d left in the dirt immediately illuminated. For a minute, the colors all danced together—pink, blue, and yellow because the beam of light the width of her arm still stretched from her all the way across the sea before it vanished in the distance. She glanced at him to double-check. He definitely would’ve said something if he could see me giving off a magical tether to something all the way to…who knows where. She pointed toward her handprint at the edge of the cliff. “Normally, this would’ve been harder to find.” She indicated the protruding section of cliff down which they’d climbed earlier that morning. “But I recognized that part too.”
The werewolf followed her pointing finger and snorted. “Something’s up with my powers of observation today.”
“It’s been a weird day.” She rubbed his arm and shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” He looked like he was about to ask again if she was okay, but he clenched his jaw instead as if he remembered their deal, and peered over the edge of the cliff. “So how do we get the little green guy to come back?”
“He said he’d be here, right? Or he’d know when we arrived.”
“Watcher had better not have followed us again—”
Before he could finish the sentence, a wide, flat green head appeared through the surface of the waves dozens of feet below them, followed by a webbed hand that waved frantically. “Friends return! Excellent, yes? Excellent!”
Romeo shot Lily an exasperated glance, raised his hand, and waved in return. “We’re ready to see the Royal again.”
“Then come. Come. I will take you.”
“Do we have to…you know.” He made a circle with his hands as he shouted over the cliffside. “Go through the whole process all over again?”
Watcher tilted his head and offered them his wide, gummy, sharp-toothed grin. “There is no other way to do a thing that is the only way. Don’t take all the time.” The creature waved at them again and beckoned them into the water.
“Did that sound like a yes to you?” He wrinkled his nose and turned toward her.
“Basically, yeah.”
“Great. Climb down, swim through caves, and be swallowed by more green Vátran airsuit bubbles.”
Lily smirked and nudged his arm with the back of her hand. “Do you think you can handle it?”
“At least I’ll actually know this time that I’m not being attacked by said Vátran bubble.”
“There is that.”
“All right. Do you wanna do the honors with this one?” He extended the Varelos replica toward her, which she’d wrapped in an old white t-shirt and tied with hair ties. She’d also pulled a few shoelaces out of a pair of the ugliest sneakers she hadn’t worn since high school—but had been allowed to take from her house after her mom disappeared—and made a kind of sling for the item the Vátran Royal so eagerly anticipated.
&n
bsp; “Why, thank you.” She took the oddly wrapped parcel and slipped the looped shoelaces over her head and one arm.
Romeo chuckled. “You know, if I saw you from way down the road or something, I’d probably think you had a bow strapped to your back.”
“But no arrows.” Lily frowned mockingly. “That’s really not very prepared, is it?”
“You’d think of something.”
“Friends!”
“We’re coming,” they shouted at the same time. With a snort, he shook his head and headed toward the cliff to climb down for the second time that day. She followed him and hoped that the bright yellow light that constantly pointed away from her wouldn’t distract her from doing what had to be done next.
Their journey below the cliffs, through the first cavern, and into the Vátran city somewhere beneath was much the same as the first. Romeo had been right, though. It was far easier to not panic when they knew the giant green bubbles that hurtled toward them from the stone walls were actually there to help them breathe. Once they were fitted again with their slightly glowing, mostly translucent breathing suits, they followed Watcher once again from the glowing coral reef at the tunnel’s entrance and into the Vátran city below.
Maybe I shouldn’t have taken my sunglasses off before the swim. Lily patted the back pocket of her shorts absently, although the suit made her hand bounce away again.
Romeo caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and sniggered. “There’s literally no way to scratch an itch in these things, huh?”
“I’m not trying to scratch—whatever.” She rolled her eyes and continued to swim ever deeper, following Watcher as he darted to the iridescent blue domes. Her friend’s laughter echoed from his breathing suit like they were talking in a giant, empty building with vaulted ceilings instead of a cavern completely under and filled with seawater. Not that the sunglasses would help with any of this. She glanced over her shoulder to where the blazing, ridiculously bright yellow light remained obdurately anchored to her body and stretched toward the surface and through the rock wall and water that lay between her and the beam’s intended destination. And I seriously hope the Royal can’t see it, either.
When they approached the edge of the blue tunnel, Romeo held his hand out toward Watcher and nodded. “Lemme try it on my own, okay? I’m not in the mood to be kicked again.”
The green-skinned creature stuck his huge webbed feet out in front of him, glanced at them with wide eyes, and cackled. A few regular bubbles drifted up from his open mouth, but he let the werewolf try on his own this time.
A laugh escaped Lily when her companion tried to torpedo his way through the rubbery wall, his arms stretched above his head and his hands pressed together and pointed forward like the tip of a knife as he kicked furiously and tried to build enough speed. He almost passed through the barrier but either needed more of a head start or the kind of speed they couldn’t achieve wearing boots and flats. The barrier gave a little but pushed him away again.
“You would like some help now, I think,” the Vátra said through his own laughter. “Tell your friend Watcher.”
“Yeah, okay.” Romeo rolled his eyes and stared at the impediment as he steeled himself. “Kick away, you little green—”
Watcher’s webbed feet slapped against his back and propelled him headfirst through the tunnel wall again. The werewolf’s startled shout was cut off the minute he passed through the barrier, and Lily waited for her own push that never came. Instead, Watcher swam slowly past her and extended his webbed hand. “The Varelos travels on your back, Lily friend. I would bring it gently through, yes?”
“Um…okay.” She expected her hand to bounce off his, but he wasn’t wearing a magical breathing suit that acted like rubber. His green fingers clamped around her own with surprising strength, and he kicked a few times toward the tunnel wall and smiled reassuringly at her. She didn’t even have to move her legs to proceed as his kicks moved them quickly enough without her assistance.
Their guide stuck his other hand through the tunnel wall, kicked more powerfully twice with both legs, and penetrated. She was jerked forward, and her hand passed through before the rest of her stuck. Her whole body pressed against the glowing blue as the tunnel refused to give to the rubbery airsuit around her. Watcher’s second hand wrapped around her wrist and he gave a mighty tug before she finally broke through the membrane and into the tunnel.
The green-skinned creature caught her and helped her to remain upright despite the slickness of the floor beneath her feet. “That was less awful than the first time.” He nodded vigorously.
“Oh, sure.” Romeo spread his arms and leaned toward the Vátra. “You couldn’t have pulled me through like that?”
Watcher released Lily’s arms when she caught her balance and back to face the werewolf who half-frowned, half-smirked at him. “I like kicking you.” His short chuckle sounded more like a hiccup before he shrugged and headed off down the tunnel toward the largest blue dome and the Royal’s throne room.
Romeo glanced at Lily with wide eyes and shook his head. “I knew it.”
“Honestly, if I were him, I’d probably like kicking you too.” She chuckled and moved beside him after their green-skinned guide.
“I don’t know if that was a compliment or an insult, but I’m really glad you’re not him, Lil. Or a Vátra at all.”
She pressed her lips together to hold back the laughter and followed the loud slap of their guide’s webbed feet down the glistening hall. Once again, the floor flashed its bright hues of orange, pink, and silver. “Me too.” On her right, from the corner of her eye, she still saw the brilliant yellow glow of the light that remained doggedly anchored to her and tried to simply ignore it. The glare of it, even where it seared through the glowing blue walls of the tunnel, made her blink far more than normal. Other than that, I think I’m keeping it together fairly well.
The bright colors of the shifting floor flashed faster and faster as they approached the entrance to the massive throne room, and she began to wonder how long she could convince herself that everything was fine.
Seventeen
Romeo leaned toward Lily as they entered the throne room behind Watcher. The rubbery airsuits below their shoes squeaked once again over the shifting patterns on the floor. “Does it look like none of these guys have moved since we left?”
She glanced quickly at him and nodded. “I wonder how long they would’ve waited if we ended up not being able to…uh, complete our side of the deal.” Because we almost decided not to come down here again, didn’t we?
The Royal still lay on the massive lily-pad-shaped cushion on the far side of the huge dome, his bare chest and stomach pulsing with light in pink and orange and yellow. Their guide turned toward his guests and raised a hand to signal for them to wait once more before he approached his sovereign.
The Royal’s eyes were closed now, Lily could see that much, and beyond the pulsing light beneath his skin, he didn’t move at all.
Watcher stopped a few feet in front of the cushion, directly facing the Royal, and straightened his back. His scrawny green arms hung loosely at his sides and the tips of his webbed fingers brushed against the tattered, seaweed-green fabric of his pants. “Our friends are returning to us now.” The creature’s voice rose in a warbling echo through the dome. “Our friends are wishing to help Royal now with a most greatest gift. The gift is returning to Royal’s loving arms.” He extended a hand again to gesture toward the young couple, and the throne room fell completely silent once more.
Without warning, the Royal bolted up from his prone position on the cushion, his eyes still closed, and rose to his feet in one fluid movement without any support whatsoever from his hands as if he were pulled up by a string. His pulsing chest thrust out with what looked like a deep breath, but it remained there, puffed out in front of his shoulders, and he opened his eyes. They glowed again with the same blue of the Vátran domes around them, and he stared ahead, his gaze fixed somewhere bey
ond the gathering. He didn’t look at Watcher even once when he said in the voice that was more than one voice, “You are bringing our friends to us.”
Watcher nodded curtly and finally looked at the young couple and waved them forward. The squeaking of their suits on the shimmering floors was the only sound in the throne room and, as before, was a little disconcerting. She was entirely grateful for the fact that she now faced away from the blazing yellow light only she could see. Otherwise, I’d look at that instead of the magical I’m trying to lie to right now.
Their green-skinned guide stepped aside to let them take his place directly in front of the Royal, who stared with unblinking eyes over their heads and across the dome. Lily inclined her head in greeting, and Romeo did the same.
“You have found what we desire,” the Royal said without looking at them. “We can feel it again, so close to where it belongs.”
“Yes.” She nodded and reached up to take hold the end of the faux Varelos strapped onto her back, but her rubber-coated fingers bounced off. “Well, we brought it. I’m not sure—”
“Please turn around, Lily.” Finally, the Royal’s glowing blue gaze left the opposite side of the throne room and settled directly on her.
For a moment, she felt naked under that gaze. If I don’t play this completely right, he’s gonna figure it out. He’ll know we’re lying. She lowered her head in acknowledgment and turned slowly. The harsh glare of the yellow beam made her squint, and she blinked furiously against it.
The Royal extended one green-skinned hand—which looked far more like her hands than the other Vátra’s—and wrapped long, slender fingers around the rod of the fake Varelos strapped to her back. She actually felt his grasp through the rubbery airsuit, followed by a cold tingle and a small, quick rush of warm air as the Royal pulled the entire thing from within the breathing suit and detached it completely from her. The shoelaces she’d tied together as a strap snapped and slithered down what little space there was between her body and the protective layer. “You may face us, now,” said the multi-toned voice, and she turned slowly in compliance. She caught Romeo’s tiny frown of concern when their gazes met for only a moment. Please keep it together. She wasn’t quite sure if she was pleading silently with Romeo or herself or both of them.
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